Urs Althaus

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Urs Althaus (* 25. February 1956 in Herrliberg ) is a Swiss actor, businessman, and the first black top male model in the world.

Life

Althaus grew up with his mother in Altdorf in the canton of Uri . His father was a medical student from Nigeria whom he never met. After school he played in the reserve at FC Zurich in 1972/73 , but had to give up his career as a footballer due to an injury. At the same time he completed a commercial apprenticeship at a travel agency.

He began his career as a model at the Körner fashion house in Altdorf, followed by an engagement in Zurich. In the fall of 1976 he ran for Yves Saint Laurent in Paris for the first time , in 1977 he was the first black model on the cover of the US magazine GQ . Althaus worked for Calvin Klein , Valentino , Gucci and Armani , among others , and appeared in numerous international fashion magazines. In 1978 he founded the modeling agency Xtazy Ltd. together with a partner in New York, with which he failed. In 1980 Lina Wertmüller offered him a role in an Italian film, which, however, was never completed. He then took acting lessons in New York and received various smaller roles. In 1984 Althaus played his first leading role in the Italian western comedy Arrapaho . In the same year he played the Brazilian footballer Aristotle in the football film "Allenatore nel Pallone" and in 1986 the role of Venantius in The Name of the Rose alongside Sean Connery .

In 1989 he stopped modeling and took over the management of the men's department at the Zurich model agency «Fotogen». Between 1992 and 2000 Althaus was co-owner and managing director of the Swiss model agency “Option”. In 2008 “Allenatore nel Pallone 2” appeared, in which Althaus again played the role of Aristotle. In October 2009 his biography "Ich, der Neger" was published.

Althaus lives in Flüelen on Lake Uri .

Filmography (selection)

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Cover in US magazine GQ ( Gentlemen's Quarterly )
  2. ↑ The Agony Of Xtazy
  3. ↑ IMDb reference
  4. ↑ I the negro in Ex Libris
personal data
SURNAME Althaus, Urs
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Swiss actor and model
DATE OF BIRTH February 25, 1956
PLACE OF BIRTH Herrliberg